Machine for making tinsel and the like



B. M. OSBUN AND H. D. WALKER. MACHINE FOR MAKING TINSEL AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 1.1911. RENEWEDQAPR. 22, I920.

Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

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mg A J Mar W B. M. OSBUN AND H. D. WALKER.

MACHINE FOR MAKING TINSEL AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 1,1917. RENEWED APR. 22, 1920.

1,394,340 Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

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lull y fi mmw @ufe UNITED STATESv BENJAMIN M. OSBUN AND HARRY D.

PATENT OFFICE,

WALKER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO MACHINE FOR MAKING TINSEL AND THE LIKE.

Application filed October 1, 1917, Serial No. 194,219.

T 0 (all whom it may concern Be it known that we, BENJAMIN M. Os- BUN and HARRY I). \YALKER, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Making Tinsel and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the manufacture of tinsel, small magnet wire, and the like. The tinsel referred to comprises a core consisting of a cotton or other textile thread having a metallic filament spirally wound around it. \Vhile the metal filament may be of any desired the filament (or ribbon, as it is usually called) is ordinarily .013 inch wide and .0007 inch thick.

The object of the invention, generally stated, is to provide a machine capable of producing tinsel or insulated magnet wire it a greater rate than that heretofore possi In an endeavor to attain the high speed which is necessary to large production, it has'been proposed to attach the flier or winding head directly to the armature shaft of an electric motor, but it has been found that the speed thus attainable is materially limited by the deterimental action of centrifugal force upon the armature windings of the motor. Moreover, it has been found that a directconnected electric motor cannot be used at a speed much above 2,000 B. P. M. without the use of a friction starting clutch between the rnotor shaft and the "winding head. This is" for the reason that the ribbon spool is revolved by the tension of the ribbon and it is necessary to acceleratethe winding head slowly and uniformly in order gradually to overcome ofthe spool, as otherwise the tension becomes so great that the ribbon breaks.

'VVe' have been able to attain the desired high speed of operation by employing an; air or steam turbine, the rotor of which is directly connected to the winding head. In the operation of the turbine. the motive fluid acts'yieldingly upon the rotor so aS to setthe rotorin rotation smoothly and without jerks. theinlet being so regulated that the head is accelerated. as gradually as maybe desired. 7 I I y that means he provided Specification of Letters Patent.

size and cross-sectional form,-

the inertia Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

Renewed April 22, 1920. Serial No. 375,913.

for stopping the machine in case the core or the covering filament becomes exhausted either through breakage or through emptying of the containers for the core or covering material. mount such controlling means in or upon the winding head, but experience has shown that any controlling mechanism so located will not operate at high speed due to the influence of centrifugal force, friction and windage on the spring or lever system comprised in the controlling mechanism, even if the system be perfectly balanced.

It also has been proposed to employ electrical stopping means comprising a circuitcloser arranged to make contact with the metallic core in case said core is left uncovered by reason of exhaustion of the covering material. Almost all small magnet wires now have a preliminary insulation in the form of a black enamel coating applied previously to the wound insulation. In such case electric controlling mechanism is impracticable, as the current could not pass through the enamel. Nor is it practicable to use electric controlling means of the type referred to where a very fine filament forms a part of the finished product, the cross-sectional area of the filament being so small that a current of sufficient strength to operate a relay will melt the filament and burn the cotton thread'forming the core of the tinsel. WVe have provided an automatic stopping means which is not subject to the limitations and disadvantages above referred to, said mechanism comprising a lever sensitive to a decrease in the tension of the tinsel or magnet wire, said lever controlling a valve which is arranged to shut off the supply of motive fluid to the turbine.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a fragmental sectional view of a machine Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken in the plane of dotted line 2 of Fig: 1. Fig. 3 is an ele-.

,vation of a pin comprised in the machine.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the pin. Fig. 5 is a fragmental view of the means for controlling the supply of motive fluid to the turbine. Figs. 6- and 7 are-views of the take up, Fig. 6 being a sectional view taken in the plane of dotted line 6- of Fig. 7, and Fig. 7-being a-section. on -dotted. line? of Th thread, wire-another core A tobe covered may come from any suitable source of supply. Herein is indicated a cop B 31' ranged for the drawing of the thread off the end of the cop, but it will be understood that the thread mass may be of any suitable form and may be supported in any preferred manner for the unwinding operation. The core Aextends upwardly through a tubular spindle 1, over a grooved idler 2 and thence to a capstan or grooved pulley 3 (around which capstan the thread is wrapped a plurality of times), thence into engagement with a traversing device 4 and thence to a take-up 5.

The spindle 1 is rotatably mounted in a framework 6. Rigid with the spindle is the 'rotor 7 of a turbine, said rotor being mounted in a chamber 8 provided in the supporting,

frame. Compressed airor steam is supplied to the turbine by means of a pipe 9 that communicateswith the turbine through a passage 10. The capstan 3-may be driven in any suitable manner, as, for example, by means of a worm 11 on the spindle 1 meshing with a worm wheel 12 which is rigid with the capstan.

Rigidly fixed upon the spindle 1 is the winding head or flier 13. i A roller .14 is ro-' tatably mounted upon the spindle 1 within the' head"13, said roller having a tapering periphery to' enter the correspondingly taperedbore of a spool or carrier G for the metallic ribbon or the insulating thread D which isto'be spirally wound upon the core A. i

Any suitable means may be employed to place the proper amount of tension upon the covering filament. Herein we have shown a friction brake comprising a drum 15 on the roller 14 carried by the head 13, said band engaging the drum 15 at diametrically opposite points. 17 are-adjustable spring tension devices for placlng tension; upon the band 16.

' The covering filament D extends from the spool C, around-a guide sheave 18 on the head 13, thence to a pin 19 secured to the upper end of the spindle 1, and thence aroundthe-coreA. Thep1n'19 is grooved as indicated in-Figs. 3 and 4 to accommodate the core A. The covering filament D passes through a notch 20 in the side of the pin 19, said pin serving to lead or guide the filament to the core.

I Any suitable means ma be used to wind up the finished product The drawings show a take-up comprising a spool F 'removably mounted upon a spindle 21. Said spindle is rotatably supported in the end of a cylmder 22 which is rotated by means of gearing 23 from any convenient source of power. On the spindle 21 is a head 24which 1S pressed against a friction driving surface 25 1n the cylinder 22 by an expansion spring 66 26. It Wlll thus be seen that the spool F is we have shown a guide 4 for the product beand a brake band 16' ering filament D is wound around the core in yieldingly connected to the driving mem ber 22.

The traversing mechanism may be of any preferred character. In the present instance ing' wound, said guide being mounted for reciprocation, and being provided with a follower 2 7 that runs in an endless groove 28 formed in the periphery of the cylinder 22. By means of the groove 28, the guide 4 is reciprocated to effect the proper winding of the product upon the spool F.

The means for detecting breakageor exhaustion of the core A or the covering filament D will next be described. The guide sheave 2 is carried by one arm of a lever 29 that is mounted upon a bracket or support 30 rising from the main frame of the machine. The other arm of the lever 29 is connected-by means of a link31 to the arm 32of a bell-crank lever 33 which is pivoted on the machine frame. The other arm 34 of the bell-crank lever bears against the stem 35 of a valve member 36. Said valve member is arranged to fit against a seat37 located between the supply pipe 9 and the inlet passage 10. If desired, a spring or other means may be used to seat the valve member 36 in case the tension of the product E diminishes through breakage or exhaustion of the cov- 95 ering filament or the core. Herein is shown an expansion spring 38 located behind the valve member 36 and normally restrained by the tension of the product E. When the tension of the product is reduced, the spring 38 seats the valve member 36, thus cutting off thesupply of motive fluid to the turbine. In operation, the core A is drawn through the spindle 1 by the capstan 3, and the covthe-rotation of the head 13. By reason of the use of the directconnected turblne, it has been possible to attain a speed of upwards of 25,000 R. P. M. of the winding head of a' tinsel machine with a correspondingly large production of tinsel. i

In starting the machine, the head 13 is slowly and uniformly accelerated by the' turbine, no clutch between the head and the turbine being necessary to prevent excessive tension upon the'covering filament. Being entirely disconnected from the winding head, the detector mechanism is not affected by the speed at which the machine 'is operated and is always sensitive to a diminution of the tension of the product. Inasmuch as the detector mechanism is tension-actuated, it may be employed in machines (as tinsel machines and machines'for insulating enameled! wire) where elec-trically-actuated detectors are impracticable.

It may be noted that the detector mechanism herein disclosed is applicable to geardriven tinsel and insulating machines, the tension-controlled lever 29 being in such other strand which is tobe core; the term upon the spindle at case arranged to throw out the clutch through which power is communicated to the machine.

While we have described the present embodiment of the invention in considerable detail, it will be understood that the invention is'not limited to the particular construction herein disclosed, and that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

In certain of the following claims we have used the term core to denotea thread or wire to be covered; he term covering filamerit to indicate the metallic, textile or wound about the product to indicate the tinsel or magnet wire; and the term exhaustion to denote failure of the core or the covering filament through breakage or by reason of the complete unwinding of the coreor the covering filament from its container. I

We claim as our invention:

1. A machine of the class referred to having, in combination, a rotatably mounted tubular spindle; a turbine having a rotor fixed upon the spindle; a worm on the spindle at one side of the turbine; a worm-wheel meshing with said worm; a capstan rigid with the worm-wheel; a winding head fixed the other side of the turbine and adapted to support a spool of covering filament, said capstan being arranged -to draw a core through the spindle, worm, rotor and .winding head; means on the winding head and the spindle for guiding the covering filament to the core; and guide means around which the product extends in passing to the capstan.

2. A machineof the class referred to having, in combination, a tubular spindle, a pressure-fluid turbine having a rotor fixed to the spindle, a winding head fixed to the spindle, means positively driven by the rotor for drawing a core through the spindle and the winding head, means in the winding head for rotatably supporting a spool of covering filament, and means on the winding head for guiding the covering filament to the core.

3. A machine pressure-fluid turbine direct-connected to the spindle, a winding head fixed to the of the class referred to havspindle, a worm gear on the spindle, aworm wheel meshing with the worm gear, a

capstan rigid with the worm wheel, a sheave for guiding to the capstan a core passing through the spindle and the windmg head, means in the wlnding head for rotatably supporting a spool of covering filament, and means carried by the winding head for guiding the covering filament to the core: p

in combination, a tubular spindle, a

4. A machine of the class referred to having, in comb1nation, a rotatably mounted tubular spindle; a turbine having a rotor I fixed upon the spindle; a worm on the spindle at one side of the turbine; a worm-wheel meshing with said worm; a capstan driven by the worm-wheel; a 'winding head fixed upon the spindle at the other side of the turbine and adapted to support a spool of covering filament, said capstan being arranged to draw a core'through the spindle, worm, rotor and winding head; and means on the winding head and the spindle for guidlng the covering filament to the core. 5. machine of the class referred to havlng, 1n combination, a winding head, means for. drawinga core through the winding head, a detector in contact with the product intermediate the winding head and the drawing means, a pressure-fluid turbine di-' rect-connected to the winding head andconnected to drive the drawing means, and a valve controlling the supply of pressurefluid to the turbme, said detector normally holding the valve open. 6. A machine of the class referred to havmg, in combination, a winding head, a capstan for drawing a core through the winding head, a movable support, a sheave on said support, the core extending from the winding head, thence around the sheave and thence to the capstan, driving means for the winding head and the capstan, of motive power for the driving means, and means connected to said support for disconnecting the driving means from said a source 7 source of motive power, said disconnecting 1 means being restrained by the tension of the product passing over said sheave.

7. A machine of the class referred to having, in combination, a winding head adapted to contain a spool of covering filament, means for drawing a core through said head and spool, means for rotating the head to spirally wind the covering filament about the core, and a movably mounted member pressed against the product and sensitive to diminution of the tension of the product through exhaustion of either the covering filament or the core, said drawing means and head-rotating meansbeing controlled by said member.

8 A machine of the class referred to having, in combination, a framework, a vertical tubular s indle rotatably mounted in the framework, said framework comprising a chamber, a turbine rotor fixed upon the spindle within said chamber, a worm on the spindle below'the rotor, a worm-wheel meshing with said worm and mounted in said framework rearwardly of the spindle, a capstan rigid with the worm-wheel, a winding head fixed upon the spindle above the rotor, a roller. mounted withinthe winding head concentric with the spindle and adaptits ing the covering filament to the core, and

means controlled by said member for controlling the supplyof pressure fluid to saiol rotor. Y

.9. A machine of the class referred to, having in combination a rotatably mounted tubular spindle, a prime mover comprising a rotor fixed upon said spindle, a worm on the spindle on one side of said rotor, a worm wheel meshing with said worm, a capstan rigidwith said worm wheel, a winding head fixed upon the spindleon the other side of said'r'otor for supporting a spool of covering filament, said capstan being operable to draw a cord through the spindle, worm, rotor and winding head, means on the windneaneo ing head and spindle for guiding the cover,

ing to the capstan.

10. A machineof the class referred to having in combination, a tubular spindle, a

prime moverv comprising a rotor fixed upon said spindle, a winding head fixed to said spindle, a worm gear on said spindle, a

Worm wheel meshing with said Worm gear, a capstan rigid with said worm Wheel, a sheave for guiding to the capstan a core passing throughsaid spindle and Winding head, means in the winding head for rotatably supporting a spool of covering filament, and means carried by the winding head for guiding the covering filament to the core.

, In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

BENJAMIN M. OSBUN. HARRY D. WALKER. 

